A Woman Scorned
by Quicksilver
Summary: Esmeraude decides to strike at the heart of her problems- Neo Queen Serenity. To do so, she goes to pre-First Season Tokyo to attempt to win the heart of one Chiba Mamoru.... please r/r!
1. Prologue

A WOMAN SCORNED: PROLOGUE by Quicksilver A:link { TEXT-DECORATION: none } A:visited { TEXT-DECORATION: none } A:active { TEXT-DECORATION: none } A:hover { color black; TEXT-DECORATION: underline } 

**Quicksilver's Quill Offers  
******

A Woman Scorned  
"Prologue: The Final Straw"  
by [Quicksilver][1]  
  
  
  
With a flick of her wrist, she brought her fan in front of her face, smiling slyly as her latest droido, Droido Analytika, threw a chalkboard at the small Mercurian Senshi. The blue-haired warrior deftly rolled out of the way, preparing to launch an attack. "SHABON SPRAY!" she called, flinging out a bunch of bubbles that quickly fogged up the area.   
Esmeraude quickly teleported away, aware that all the humidity would play absolute havoc on her hair. Analytika, though, barreled straight at Sailor Moon, unhindered by the magic screen. Esmeraude grudgingly admitted that Saffir had outdone himself with this droido, having her rely on an echolocation system rather then the more standard eyesight he had usually incorporated. Whipping out a calculator, she used it to start throwing glowing numbers around. From her vantage point high above the fight, Esmeraude let loose one of her trademark laughs.   
It turned out she was savoring her victory too soon. It seemed that the weakness inherent in this droido was electricity related. Esmeraude absolutely hated that; how could EVERY SINGLE droido be flawed? Saffir had tried to explain to her about the price of magic and started ranting about a "debt" system, which had gone straight over her head. All that mattered to her was that the Senshi always seemed to win, destroying her plans every single time.   
The mist dispersed in time for her to watch the green-skirted Senshi (the one who had called her an old hag!) fry Analytika with some kind of lightning bolt. Then the pretty little moon twit finished the job by waving around a fancy wand, and Esmeraude almost screamed. It was on the tip of her tongue to start swearing vengeance, but she sighed instead when the Senshi all looked at her. "Darn it," she said, not in the mood for any more elaborate insult. Then she opened a portal and slid back to the future, ready to give Demando a report.   
Landing in the foyer, she stumbled slightly. Damn floors- all of them were made of sleek obsidian, and hardly gave any purchase for her feet. She grumbled slightly to herself, waving the fan with annoyance. Right now all she wanted to do was go back to her quarters and have a nice, hot bath while reading a totally trashy novel. Unfortunately, she had to report to Demando first.   
"Fail again, Esmeraude?" came the last voice she wanted to hear.   
Turning around on one heel with patented grace, she stepped towards the speaker, leveling the fan at his eyes. "What makes you say that, Saffir?" she asked, trying to stall for time.   
He smiled and leaned against the wall, his arms folded across his chest with arrogant confidence. "Because if you had succeeded, you would have teleported directly to the throne room, rather then out here," he said with complete conviction.   
She looked at him, ready to spew some venom, then sighed and walked around him without a retort. Saffir watched her go with puzzled eyes, trying to figure out why he was slightly disappointed. It was like she was losing some of her spirit, and though he didn't like her, it was nice to know that one member of their Clan could be so passionate. Demando was usually as cool as ice, while Saffir considered himself emotionally crippled.   
When Esmeraude arrived at the daunting doors that led to the court of His Serene Highness, Prince Demando of Nemesis, she hesitated for only a minute before entering.   
Immediately she recognized that two things were wrong with the scene in front of her. First off, the Wiseman was there, lurking in the shadows the way he always seemed to. Esmeraude didn't like him at all, but Demando relied on the strange wizard's advice, so she did not complain. Demando couldn't possibly be wrong- it just wasn't in his nature.   
The second thing was the image of Neo-Queen Serenity that hovered in the center of the room. Esmeraude glared at the figure of white and gold, wishing that Demando would get over his petty little fascination, and return her affections as openly as she wanted him to. He loved her; he had to love her. With a sigh, she walked into the room, swaying on her heels provocatively.   
Demando looked up from his contemplation of the Neo Queen. "You failed again," he stated, rather then asked.   
She was unable to hide a flinch. "Hai," she said, about to launch into an explanation, but he forestalled her his an upraised hand.   
"You disappoint me, Esmeraude," Demando said. "I had thought you more competent then Rubeus," he began, his smooth voice like balm to her soul, no matter what it was saying. She could listen to him speak for hours on end. "It seems I was wrong."   
"Please forgive your humble servant," she said. "I will do better next time," she promised.   
"Will you?" he asked, his voice clearly telling her what he thought of her capabilities.   
"Your Highness!" she said, protesting his apparent lack of faith. "I have-"   
He waved a hand. "You are dismissed, Esmeraude," he said, returning his attention to the floating hologram.   
She looked at him, wanted to say something -anything- to get his attention back. Demando, though, was absorbed by Neo-Queen Serenity. She bowed her head briefly and teleported away to her quarters.   
Very few people had ever seen the inside of Esmeraude's chambers, and the few who had, were surprise. Her room was very Spartan, and there was only one mirror, in the bathroom. Aside from that, she lived simply, with little luxury aside from the products she used to maintain her physical features. She had one shelf in her room devoted to books, for she used to be an avid reader... until.... until...... she couldn't remember what had happened, but one day, the entire way she looked at things had changed. Sometimes she almost thought she knew why, but then her thoughts would once again wander down the path to Demando, and the fragile bit of understanding she had gained would crumple, and fly away like dust in the wind.   
Esmeraude dropped her fan to the floor carelessly, then leapt onto her bed, grabbing one of her largest pillows and hugging it to her ample chest. For a while she laid there, willing her mind to still, but her thoughts were in turmoil. Demando was so cruel to her- how could he be? Why did that bitch Serenity steal her beloved?   
'I will not cry,' she thought. 'I have cried to often lately,' she said. 'I am the most beautiful and attractive woman in the world- men fall at my feet. There is no need for me to cry,' she resolved.   
She rose to her feet again, her eyes sore from unshed tears. Stalking over to where she had dropped her fan, she picked it up and collapsed it, thoughtfully placing it in her top dresser drawer. She couldn't let herself be noticed if what she was planning was to succeed, and she knew her fan was her trademark- so it had to go. With a sigh of resignation, she went to Saffir's study, determined to see him.   
"Saffir!" she called from the doorway, then pushed right through. If she waited for him to give her permission to enter, hell would freeze over.   
The younger man sat at his desk, leaning over one of his many beloved computers, running statistics. He looked up to meet her eyes, and she could have sworn she saw a touch of shock in them. "Esmeraude?" he asked, as though he couldn't quite believe it was her.   
She smiled at him. "I know you did a whole bunch of research on Neo-Queen Serenity," she said. "Did you ever manage to find out what her mundane identity was?"   
Saffir stared at the Green Lady for a few moments, trying to gather his scattered thoughts. "Um, yes, but you can't kill her, or else you would upset the time-stream," he said.   
Esmeraude's brown eyes flashed, and he involuntarily pulled farther away from her. Something seemed to have snapped within the green-haired woman, and woe betide any who got in her way. "I know that!" she declared, advancing on him. Before he realized what was happening, she had him by the neck, forcing his wide blue eyes to meet her own. "I want to know about her- in particular, her relationship with Endymion," she said.   
"Let me go," Saffir hissed, "or I'll never tell you what you want to know.."   
She did, keeping a steady glare on him as he straightened his shirt. "Speak," she commanded.   
"Serenity was originally known as Tsukino Usagi, the Rabbit of the Moon. Her husband, Endymion, was known as Chiba Mamoru, the Protector of Earth. They met in 1992, and after a somewhat turbulent courtship, they settled into marriage when Serenity, still known as Usagi, turned eighteen. In her twenty-second year, she unfroze the Earth and ascended to the throne, and took on her new name," Saffir spat out rapidly, determined to get rid of this annoying woman as soon as possible.   
"Turbulent courtship?" Esmeraude asked.   
"Yes. They apparently didn't get along too well at first, and then he had his memory erased, then he broke up with her, then he was kidnapped, and finally he was killed, though she managed to bring him back to life."   
"Sounds like she went through a lot for him," Esmeraude mused, resting a finger upon her chin thoughtfully. Then she smiled slowly, and Saffir felt his heart catch in his throat. She looked dangerous and brilliant, and Saffir suddenly had a flashback to when they were younger, when she wasn't as dense as she was now. It was almost as though she was shaking off the dust that had clouded her brain and actually started to THINK for a change. "Perhaps it's time to prove that old saying....." she drawled, her smiling widening by the second.   
"Old saying?" Saffir asked, not following her train of thought- and it WAS thought, he realized with disbelief.   
"The one that goes, 'Turn About is Fair Play?'" Esmeraude said, letting one of her ear-splitting laughs loose before leaving the room.   
He blinked, still in a state of utter shock. "I would have said, "'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,'" he said, rising to his feet. Esmeraude was planning something, and he decided to follow her into the past. This time it seemed that she was actually using her mind, and that worried him. There was no telling what havoc she was going to wreck on the time stream. "I had better follow her," he said softly. "I have a VERY bad feeling about this."  
  
  
  


**[part 1][2]**

  


   [1]: mailto:mbsilvana@yahoo.com
   [2]: http://members.spree.com/entertainment/troublemaker/fanfics2/woman_scorned01.htm



	2. Part One: Chika Ezura and Kae Satoshi

Quicksilver's Quill Offers:  
A Woman Scorned  
mbsilvana@yahoo.com  
standard disclaimers  
AN: This is rough draft... lemme know what ya'll think.  
First season romance... done QS style!   
  
Part One: Chika Ezura and Kae Satoshi  
  
Esmeraude had planned her arrival in 1992 more carefully then   
she had planned any of her other trips to the past. After actually   
reading the reasearch Saffir had gathered about the time period, she   
had decided that the ideal time for her to surface would be about two   
months before the Dark Kingdom came- long enough to ensnare Mamoru in   
her trap, but enough time for her to pull out before Jedeite would   
begin his power-draining. Even though she was confident in her   
abilities, she didn't want to tangle with any of the Four Kings.   
  
Before leaving, she had used a spell to turn her hair into a   
rich ebony, rather then leave it its usual verdant color. She   
realized that the green hair would stand out, and she had little   
intention of attracting too much attention, aside from one special   
person's.  
  
Finding an apartment in the crowded Tokyo had been a   
challenge, but she realized the nessessity of appearing to be an   
ordinary mortal for her plan to work. That included adapting her   
style and way of life. Two months of a mundane life would be   
difficult, but it would be well worth it if she was able to find   
success on her project.  
  
The place she finally found was a three-bedroom penthouse.   
It was done in various shades of green, which almost mollified her   
about her hair. She really disliked the boring black.  
  
Esmeraude was just settling her belongings into the master   
bedroom when she heard a loud "thump!" from one of the other   
bedrooms. With an angry curse, she stalked towards it, ignoring the   
possibility it could be an intruder- she was the highest-ranking   
General of the Nemesian Army, and she could damn well defend herself.  
  
Swinging the door open, her jaw dropped as she saw a pair of   
legs sticking out from underneath a desk. They were clad in a pair   
of jeans and masculine, but she had no clue why that person would be   
messing with a bunch of wires that extended all over the floor. She   
looked on top of the desk and noticed the computer, one that was too   
advanced for this time period. Her mind automatically leapt to the   
correct conclusion. Only one person would have such gall.  
  
"Saffir?!" she exclimed in confusion and no small amount of   
rage.  
  
He started slightly, hitting his head on the bottom of the   
desk. "Itai!" he exclaimed. "Hello to you as well, Ezzy-chan," he   
said, sliding out from underneath, rubbing his forehead in an attempt   
to allieviate some of the sting.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she demanded rather angrily.  
  
He rose to his feet with lithe grace, smiling at her   
wickedly. "What does it look like? Moving in, of course," he said   
as he started to unpack a suitcase.  
  
She really wished that she hadn't decided that her fan was   
too conspicuous. She wished she had it so she could have the   
satisfaction on smacking him across the face. Esmeraude had to   
settle for stomping her foot instead. "And why are you doing   
that? Shouldn't you be back on Nemesis tinkering with something?"  
  
He shook his head, rasing a careless hand to brush the hair   
that had fallen free away from his eyes. "No, dear cousin. I'm   
here to make sure you don't screw up the time line. What the hell   
are you plotting, anyway?" he asked.  
  
She tossed her head, sending her dyed hair cascading over her   
back. "That's none of your business. Get out of here, you're not   
wanted."  
  
He frowned, and they stood glaring at each other. Finally   
he broke the silence. "I'm not going anywhere. I don't trust you   
not to screw up."  
  
She looked at him, then a slight smile curved her lips.   
"Fine. Stay if you want. You'll be bored out of your mind in a   
week."  
  
The smile that he gave her was surprisingly sweet and non-  
malicious. "I'm looking forward to it, actually. I signed up to   
take some classes at Tokyo University."  
  
"WHAT?!" she yelled again.  
  
"It seemed like a good idea.... I'm going to be an   
horticulture major. I want to work with flowers," he said   
wistfully, then seemed to remember who he was talking to. "Not that   
it's any of your business. I'm Heir to the Pellucid Throne of   
Nemesis- I can do what I want. You're my subordinate, technically."  
  
She stomped off, fuming. Having the blue prince hanging   
around was not going to help her plan at all. Especially since it   
seemed that they were going to be sharing classes.  
  
The next day, Chika Ezura registered with classes with her   
reluctant roommate Kae Satoshi. He had wanted to pretend they   
didn't know each other, but Esmeraude had insisted that he actually   
acknowledge her- most likely it would come out that they were living   
together.   
  
Esmeraude had chosen to pursue pre-med, the same major as her   
prey. She wasn't too worried about her grades; she had been a good   
student when she was younger, and knew that she could be so again.   
Many of the forgotten books in her room had been non-fiction, full of   
information she had devoured once upon a time, when learning and   
knowledge had seemed important. Then she had realized that her   
looks would get her further, and she had left her scholarly pursuits   
for more practical concerns.  
  
Saffir carried his note books and pens in an ordinary   
satchel, along with, what was to him, an antiquated lap top.   
Esmeraude walked at his side, looking very different from the   
Esmeraude he knew. The dyed hair was only part of it.   
  
She was wearing well-fitted jeans and a pale green blouse   
that was so sheer that she had put a spagetti-strapped camisole   
underneath it. Silver jewelery hung from her neck, ears and wrist,   
and her pale hands were without gloves. Above all, though, was   
that her "come hither" walk had been toned down to a slightly less-  
provacative sway. She had left the fan behind, and Saffir suddenly   
remembered a time when they had actually gotten along- a time that   
was before Demando had ascended the Pellucid Throne of Nemesis.  
  
"We're not going to have any of the same classes," Esmeraude   
hissed at him before waltzing off with a smile on her face. She was   
SO relieved to be getting rid of him.  
  
Saffir watched her leave, trying to decide if he even   
recognized her anymore. Then he shrugged and started off towards   
his first class. He was going to be here for a short time; he might   
as well enjoy it. He'd always wanted to live on Earth, after all.   
The world that held the flowers of his dreams....  
  
Esmeraude walked carefully towards her class, missing her   
high heels. However, she had noticed that most Terran men seemed   
to be intimidated by tall woman, so was taking no chances with her   
ability to attract her victim. Still, it felt decidedly odd not to   
be attracting outright stares of lust. Men still admired her, but   
in a less obvious fashion, sneaking approving glances every now and   
then. To her surprise, she decided she liked it.  
  
Her first class was basic biology, a prerequisite for every   
pre-med major. She made a point of stepping in just as the bell   
was ringing, posing thoughtlessly in the doorway for a second to   
offer the professor her apology, which gave everyone in the class a   
good chance of looking her over.  
  
"Gomen nasai, sensei," she said. "I just transferred, and I   
fear I had a slight difficulty finding the classroom," she said,   
bowing slightly at the waist.   
  
The professor, a man who was starting to run to fat at forty,   
wasn't immune to her obvious charms. "It's not a problem this   
time. Please do not make a habit of it," he said.  
  
She gave him a dazzling smile and walked forward, sliding   
into a chair in the front of the room. She crossed her legs and   
started to take careful notes, ignoring the eyes that were on her.   
Taking careful notes, she pretended to be interested in the   
lecture.   
  
Fifteen minutes before the end of class, the professor called   
a halt to the proceedings, pulling out a hat. "I know not all of   
you are thrilled to be here, but I have a method of making sure you   
study. I'm going to pair you up with study partners for the   
semesters, and the grade your partner recieves will reflect on your   
own... quite heavily, I may add. Just so this is fair, I've already   
placed slips with your names on it and I'll be drawing it out of a   
hat. After I call your names, find some seats together so you can   
decide on a strategy."  
  
This was just too perfect! Esmeraude thought, then her native   
sense of suspicion kicked in. It seemed too ideal, and life on   
Nemesis had taught her that things were never what they seemed.   
Still, she would be a fool to resist this opportunity. Narrowing   
her eyes, she focused a little bit of magic to mess with the laws of   
probability.  
  
"Chika Ezura and Chiba Mamoru!" the professor called, and   
they rose to their feet to find some seats in the back to discuss   
study arrangements.  
  
For the first time, Esmeraude got a good look at the future   
Neo King. He had eyes that were as brilliant a blue as Saffir's,   
and his build was almost (but not quite, to her mind) as attractive   
as her Demando-sama's. His hair was a silky black that was just a   
touch too long, but all in all, he was a gogeous package. She could   
see why Serenity was in love with him, and it made her task a little   
less unpalatable.  
  
They sat together in the rearmost seats, and she could hear   
some whispered comments among the other students. The other   
students were rather jealous, and she realized that they must make a   
beautiful couple. Still, Endymion -Mamoru as he was known now- was   
rather a cold fish towards other women, so she knew that moving   
carefully would be the best way to go. There was no way that she   
would throw herself at his feet.  
  
She held a hand out in a business-like fashion. "Chika   
Ezura," she said. "I'm from Kyoto."  
  
He shook her hand with careful strength, not feeling the need   
to test her grip the way some men would have. "Chiba Mamoru, from   
Tokyo,"he said in a cool voice. "I assume that you'll be wanting   
to meet to study?" he said in a resigned voice.  
  
She looked at him with feigned shyness. "Hai... maybe   
every other day? I'm not that good at memorizing phylum," she said,   
a smile tracing her lips. "I would have to insist that it would be   
either at my appartment so I can have my roommate there, or at the   
library," she said.   
  
She watched some barely noticible stress lines around his   
eyes relax as he recognized that she wasn't going to be all over him,   
which was what he was used to. "We could meet at your house- you   
said you have a roommate?"  
  
She nodded, for once glad of Saffir's presense. "Yes.   
He's an old family friend."  
  
"He?" Mamoru asked, quirking an inquiring eyebrow. "I'm sure   
your boyfriend won't like having a stranger around."  
  
She laughed, and it was a natural laugh, something she had   
forgotten in the dark reaches of her life. The very idea of her and   
Saffir actually getting involved was enough to send her into fits of   
giggles, except she didn't giggle. Giggling was too cute-sy. "No,   
Satoshi and I, I mean," she managed to squeeze out, before falling   
into more laughter. She was attracting stares from the other   
students who were obviously wondering what they were up to. Getting   
a grip on herself, she calmed down enough to reply in level tones,   
"Satoshi and I can barely stand each other- we're only living   
together because of our circumstances."  
  
Mamoru nodded slightly. "Well, then, I'll meet you at your   
appartment. Is tonight a good night for you, or do you need to   
clear your schedule?"  
  
"Tonight is fine. Satoshi and I usually eat around seven,   
so come around eight. That'll give us time to clean up."  
  
Mamoru smiled and she wrote her address down on a piece of   
paper in an elegant script, handing it to him. Rising to his feet,   
he bid her farewell, obviously relieved that she wasn't going to be   
throwing herself at him.  
  
Esmeraude had realized that her usual tactics wouldn't work   
from reading about the Neo King and his cold-fish tendencies, and had   
adapted her style before even meeting him. Friendship first, then   
something more. She was undeniably the prettiest woman on campus,   
and it would be inevitable that he would fall all over her once he   
got to know her.  
  
She collected her books and headed to her next class, which   
was Chemistry. Chemistry was not her subject- never had been. She   
wasn't good with numbers, and sometimes logic defeated her. She had   
always been an intuitive person- go from a to c while skipping b, as   
Saffir had said once. Still, she knew that the thoroughness of her   
disguise depended on taking the entire spectrum of courses. She   
wasn't about to let her plans go to hell just because she couldn't be   
bothered with a class.  
  
She entered the class, ready to suffer, when her eyes caught   
on someone sitting in the second row. Without concious thought,   
she slid into the available seat beside the young man. Under the   
guise of shifting through her bag for supplies, she leaned over to   
hiss, "What the hell are you doing here, Saffir?"  
  
"Classes got switched, Ezzy-chan. And it's Satoshi,   
remember?"  
  
She scowled at him. "Fine. Just don't get in my way."   
With that, she turned her attention back to the professor, who was   
beginning a lecture of the wonder of moles.  
  
  
END PART ONE 


	3. Part Two: Study Buddies

A WOMAN SCORNED: PART TWO by Quicksilver a:link{text-decoration : none} a:visited {text-decoration : none} a:active {text-decoration : none} a:hover { pont-weight: none ; text-decoration:underline; color black } 

standard disclaimers  
AN: This is rough draft... lemme know what ya'll think.  
First season romance... done QS style!  
Yes, this IS Usagi/Mamoru- just hold your horses! Motoki has NOT YET met Reika.  
  
Earlier parts are available at the EMSL:  
  
http://www.angelfire.com/ri2/ems/index.html  
The Archivist is, of course, the wonderful and talented Meredith Bronwen Mallory.  
  
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/6250/ (TAATN)  
The Archivist is Emrys-sama, who's the Queen of Villains, ne?....  
The stuff on Arthropods is from my Biology notes- Professor Wolback can take the blame.  
  
  
  


**Quicksilver's Quill Offers  
******

A Woman Scorned  
"Part Two: Study Buddies"  
by [Quicksilver][1]  
  
  
  
Chiba Mamoru walked through the streets of Tokyo, feeling oddly disjointed and apart from his surroundings. The air was crisp and vital, and he wished that he could see... her. He imagined the highlights that late day sun would cast across her shadowy hair, and heard her laughter instead of remembering her plea. She was out there, he believed. She had to be. Hastening his steps, he hurried to Motoki's home, ready to drop off the notes he had promised. Motoki was a very good student, but even he couldn't afford to miss the first day of classes in ANY class. Motoki and Mamoru had signed up for all of the same classes, hoping to study together. One professor, Chisato-sensei, had interfered with THAT by assigning so-called "study buddies".  
  
Mamoru HATED being assigned a partner. He preferred to work by himself, or chose his own friends. It was honest that forced him to admit that he was very attractive to the opposite gender, and he sometimes hated it. Females would follow him around faithful dogs, and no matter WHAT he did, nothing would discourage them from trailing his every move. Some guys would love it, but Mamoru was a private person by nature.  
  
The moment Chisato-sensei had announced that they were having partners was the moment abruptly stopped dreaming of the double chocolate latte he was going to get as soon as soon as class finished, his stomach tied in knots.. The class had approximately an even male-to-female distribution, which meant he had a fifty percent chance of getting some girl who would spend the rest of the semester drooling after him. Not a pleasant prospect. If he were lucky enough to get a male partner, his partner would most likely become jealous of his popularity with females. Sometimes a guy just couldn't win.  
  
He barely managed to keep from cringing when his name was pulled out with a "Chika Ezura". To his surprise, though, she seemed almost wary of him, which had surprised him. Rather then volunteering to come over to his place, she had pushed for either the library or her apartment, where her roommate would be. He was impressed by her good sense, though he admitted to himself that she wasn't bad on the eyes. She had curves in all the right places, and a long mass of black hair that made a guy's fingers itch to see if it was really as silky as it looked. Her chocolate brown eyes were quite pretty, and he was under the impression that there was a mind behind it. Still... she wasn't his princess. Not to mention that she had sent VERY clear indications that she wasn't interested.  
  
Shaking his head, he knocked on the door to Motoki's place, then let himself in. Motoki had left after their third class, violently ill. Mamoru had collected the homework for their last class of the day, promising to deliver it.  
  
"Ohayo, Motoki!" he called with false cheer, waiting for a reaction. Sure enough, he got one.  
  
Motoki stumbled out of his bedroom into the sitting room, his eyes shadowed and his face waxy. He was wearing a ratty old bathrobe, and the glare he directed at Mamoru was truly classic. It was odd for Mamoru to see his oldest friend not in a good humor, but he figured that Motoki had it coming. "Is there some reason that you're so chipper?"   
  
Motoki practically growled, "or do you just have a death wish I didn't know about?"  
  
Mamoru smiled and handed over the notes he had photocopied for his friend. "I brought you a get-well present," he said.  
  
Motoki's frown deepened, looking almost frightening with the dark circles that were under his eyes acting as accents. "Thanks," he said, scowling as he glanced over Mamoru's precise script. "For some reason, this doesn't make me feel at ALL better," he griped, glaring through the papers. Then his face turned an interesting shade of green, and Mamoru watched as Motoki raced off to the bathroom. In a few seconds, he could here the sound of someone emptying the contents of their stomach. After a brief moment of running water, Motoki returned, looking even more wane then before. "This sucks," he grumbled. "Not only am I sick, but YOU end up being partnered with the hottest babe on campus while I end up with the exchange student from Germany. I can't even TALK to him, much less study with him."   
  
Motoki's eyes brightened. "Tell me what's she's like."  
  
"Chika-san?" Mamoru asked in surprise.  
  
"Who else? Have you asked her out yet?"  
  
Mamoru laughed lightly. "You know I'm not interested in dating just anyone. I'm waiting for someone special," he said softly, trying to convey how important it was.  
  
"She's special! Did you get a good look at her? I mean, a guy would have to be BLIND not to think she's something special."  
  
"She didn't seem interested in doing anything aside from studying. Made it quite clear, in fact," Mamoru said.  
  
Motoki thought for a minute, then looked horrified. "You don't mean she's a lesbian, do you? What a waste!"  
  
Mamoru shook his head. "No! She just gave me the cold shoulder." Motoki's expression of disbelief turned to one of surprised, then to laughter. "Now THAT makes me feel better!" he crowed. "Welcome to the world of ordinary mortals! Tell us, Chiba Mamoru, how does it feel?" "Decidedly odd," Mamoru said, then grinned impishly. "But it's a kind of odd I could get used to. It might be nice having a female FRIEND." "What about Sayako?" Motoki suggested.  
  
Mamoru blinked. "I don't think of her as female- she's too... too SOMETHING. Chika-san is DEFINITELY female. We're going to be studying tonight," he admitted to Motoki grudgingly.  
  
Motoki blinked and groaned. "Life is SO unfair!" he complained. "I'm going to be spending the next evening being sick, while you get to hang out and flirt with one of the hottest girls I've ever seen."  
  
Mamoru laughed him off. "I'm hoping to get a lot of work done, actually. Chika-san seems like she would rather do that as well. But if it makes you feel happier to get envious, feel free to!"  
  
Motoki waved a threatening fist at Mamoru's retreating back. "I'll get even with you for this, Chiba!"  
  
"In your dreams, Furata!" Mamoru shot back, glancing over his shoulder as the door swung shut.  
  
At ten minutes to eight, Chiba Mamoru was knocking on the door of the address Chika Ezura had given him, wondering if this was a prank on her behalf. The building she was in was pricey, to say the least, and she was on the floor below the penthouse. Mamoru was by no means poor, but this region of wealth was beyond what he was comfortable with.  
  
He heard the chain slide and the door swing inwards, and caught his breath as the door opened. The man on the other side looked at him with icy blue eyes that were a match for his own, and Mamoru had a hard time suppressing a sense of déjà vu. He should know the blue haired man who was looking at him like some kind of disgusting lab specimen he wasn't sure how to dissect. "Yes?" the man said in a cool voice.  
  
"Um…. Excuse me…. I was looking for Chika Ezura?" he asked.  
  
The man sighed. "You must be Chiba Mamoru," he said with a distinct lack of enthusiasm.  
  
"Yes," Mamoru said, hanging out uncomfortably, trying not to shift too obviously. Something about the man gave him the impression that he disliked Mamoru on sight.  
  
The man tilted his head, pausing in thought. "I suppose there's no help for it. You might as well come in," he said, turning around. Mamoru slid around the door before it could slam shut, since the man obviously had no intention of being a good host.  
  
"Are you her roommate?" he asked.  
  
"She's my cousin," the man said acidically.  
  
Mamoru blinked. "Oh," he said, unable to think of anything more intelligent. Taking off his shoes, he put on a pair of guest slippers by the door.  
  
"Kae Satoshi," the man finally said.  
  
"What?" Mamoru asked.  
  
"It's my name," he said. "I'll get Ezura," he said. "Ezzy-chan!" he yelled without moving from the living room.  
  
The door swung open, and Ezura stumbled out, still wearing the same outfit she had been wearing earlier then that day. Her hair had been pulled into a high ponytail and her sleeves rolled back, and she was wearing a rather perturbed frown on her face. "How many times have I told you to stop calling me that?" she demanded, then her eyes widened as she noticed her guest. "I'm sorry for my rudeness," she said, bowing slightly, "but Satoshi keeps doing that!" she said, then blinked. "Sorry again. He tries to drive me nuts."  
  
Satoshi glared at them. "I'll be in my room working with my flowers."  
  
They watched him leave. "Friendly, isn't he?" Ezura said. "If you wait here, I'll get my books. Would you like something to drink? Eat?"  
  
"A soda would be nice," he said.  
  
She nodded. "He's obsessed with those silly flowers," she muttered, then lowered her eyes. "Oops. I bet you like them, don't you?"  
  
"Yes," he confessed. "Especially roses."  
  
She tilted her head. "That doesn't surprise me," she said with an amused smile. "We should start work- I'll get my stuff?" Then she left, leaving Mamoru to look around the apartment by himself. Everything was green. Green curtains, chairs, rugs…. all around was a few very interesting objets d'art, and plants ran riot. Mamoru guessed that Satoshi was probably responsible for them, and his opinion of the rather offensive man rose a few notches. Anyone who could produce plants like this couldn't possibly be all bad. Ezura returned, carrying her biology text and a notebook. Setting them on the table, she headed in the other direction, only to return with two cans of Pepsi and glasses filled with ice. Smiling at him, she sat down at the low table on a mat, motioning that he should take the opposite seat. "I know this sounds horribly rude, but are you a good student?"  
  
"Very," he said frankly, charmed by the stunning smile she sent to him in response.  
  
"That's good," she said. "I wouldn't want you dragging down my grade. To be quite honest with you, I'm not that much of a team player- I tend to be a loner."  
  
He smiled. "Myself as well. How do you want to do this?"  
  
"Well, I think we should each do the reading, and maybe quiz each other on it when we're done. I haven't had much time to look over the material yet."  
  
He nodded his agreement and they started to review there books. Every now and then Ezura would grab the end of her ponytail and twist it between her fingers as her eyes absorbed the knowledge. Finally she set the book down and sat, looking at him. It wasn't a stare of lust (which he was used to seeing), but rather an evaluating one. Mamoru snapped his text shut, intrigued.  
  
"Something interesting?" he asked.  
  
"No, not really," she said. "I was just thinking about how much you and Sa-chan resembled each other. It's rather remarkable, actually."  
  
Mamoru shrugged. He couldn't see it. "So do you want to quiz me first, or should I ask you?"  
  
"Ask me," she said, handing over her text. "I need all the help I can get."  
  
Opening the book he randomly pulled out a review question. "Tell me about Arthopods," he said.  
  
Smiling, she started to recite, almost word for word, the book's definition. "Arthropods range in distribution from the deep sea to mountain peaks, in size from the king crab with its 12-foot armspan to microscopic insects and crustaceans. Despite this unbelievable diversity, the basic body plan of arthropods is fairly constant. Arthropods have a stiff cuticle made largely of chitin and proteins, forming an exoskeleton that may or may not be further stiffened with calcium carbonate. They have segmented bodies and show various patterns of segment fusion (tagmosis) to form integrated units such as heads, abdomens, and so on. The phylum takes its name from its distinctive jointed appendages, which may be modified in a number of ways to form antennae, mouth parts, and reproductive organs."  
  
His eyes widened, and she started to provide information that WASN'T in the book. "Chika-san, I thought you said you weren't sure about this!"  
  
She looked at him. "I'm not!" she said. "I can never remember anything!   
  
Do you mean I got it right?" She sounded surprised, and a touch disconcerted.  
  
He stared into her confused eyes, intrigued. Apparently the woman seated in front of him had no idea of her own intelligence. In spite of himself, Mamoru felt the stirrings of interest. "Everything you said was right, Chika-san. Every little detail."  
  
  
  


**end of part 2**

  


   [1]: mailto:mbsilvana@yahoo.com



	4. Part Three: The Fractured Girl

Quicksilver's Quill Offers  
A Woman Scorned  
mbsilvana@yahoo.com  
Standard disclaimers  
Part Three: The Fractured Girl  
Dedication: For those who nagged me! Yes, I love this piece, but I was rather stuck for a while! ^_~  
  
The door had barely swung shut behind Mamoru when Esmeraude picked up the cup she had used and threw it. It shattered with a resounding "crash", but that didn't satisfy her recently rediscovered urge to destroy things. She picked up the saucer and hurled it into the door the way she would have thrown a Frisbee. Then she reached for the cup Mamoru had used, and it met a similar fate.  
  
The noise in the living room roused Saffir from his studies. Normally he wouldn't have been concerned, but this was the 20th century, and he'd been hoping that such instances of temper wouldn't be in evidence. The palace staff had always been cleaning up after one of her fits, but he had no intention of doing so- and he had no intention of letting her get away with it.  
  
"Esmeraude! What do you think you're doing?" he demanded angrily, only to be met by a vase. "ESMERAUDE! Stop that at once!" he snapped.  
  
She seemed oblivious to his presence, but the flowers that had scattered all over the floor seemed to catch her attention. "Snapdragons…." She whispered. "Snapdragons mean Great Lady, you know," she murmured, seemingly speaking to herself. "I used to love flowers… Nemisian roses, those poor blooms that were all our dying planet could produce… but I forgot. I forgot about them at some point… why did that happen?" Tears streamed down her face as she began to pick up the flowers, ignoring the pieces of glass that pierced her hands.  
  
He stared in horror as blood welled from her hands. "Have you gone nuts?"  
  
"No… sometimes I think I might just be going sane." She clutched one of the flowers for a second, looking thoughtfully at the petals. Then she started to sing. "Clusters of crocus… purple and gold…. Blankets of pansies… Up from the cold…." Her voice was surprisingly pleasant, and Saffir's memories stirred. When they had been younger, Esmeraude had liked to sing, and people had applauded her talent. Then… she had stopped. Suddenly, and with no explanation.  
  
About the time the Wiseman had first risen from nowhere to become one of Demando's most trusted advisors.  
  
A feeling of dread stirred in his stomach, but he resolved to think it through later. Right now she was bleeding on the sea-foam green carpet, and blood was a bitch to clean- at least, that's the excuse he gave himself.  
  
Saffir knelt down by her side, cradling her bleeding hands. He looked into her eyes, wondering what the hell was happening. "Ez, what are you doing?" he asked. He didn't like her, but... she was his cousin. This behavior was bizarre, even for her.  
  
The tears on her face started to dry, leaving her messed-up make up. "Nothing, Saffir. Absolutely nothing."  
  
He knelt down beside her, and in a show of great concern, took her hands in his. They were ice cold, the fight-or-flight response having kicked in, and her blood stained his skin. "Esmeraude… we're in this together. I don't like seeing you like this."  
  
"Why should you care? I don't need you to," she said fiercely, tossing her head so the long black locks swung back over her shoulders. He noticed that in spite of her arrogant words, she had made no attempt to reclaim her hands.  
  
"Let's ignore the fact that we can't stand each other," he said bluntly. "You're not acting like yourself… or maybe you're acting more like the cousin I recall from my childhood," he said.  
  
Her chocolate brown eyes softened. "I remember…"she whispered. "We used to be friends. What happened to us?" she asked.  
  
He tilted his head, wondering if he dared share his suspicions. "The Wiseman," he said finally.  
  
She giggled slightly, sounding hysterical. "You're paranoid as always," she said.  
  
He magically summoned a tweezers-like object that he used when he was working on delicate electronics, reasoning that it would work well enough to pick out the glass shards. He took her right hand and rested it gently on his legs so he could work. "Am I?" he asked, digging out the largest shard in her right hand.  
  
She flinched and made as though to withdraw, but he stared her down. "Hold still. It's your own fault- they have to come out, or else they'll get infected."  
  
Esmeraude gave him a subdued looked instead of arguing, flinching every now and then when the tweezers poked her. She studied the congealing blood, wondering what had possessed her. She had wanted to impress Mamoru, and had done so. Why did she feel so ill about it? She'd known she was brilliant- it was just surprising to prove it to herself. "Saffir, why do you hate the Wiseman so?" she asked after a moment.  
  
He paused in his task before returning his attention to picking out the pieces. "He's leading us down a dangerous path," he said finally.  
  
"So? We knew war was dangerous- but the benefits… aren't you the one who wants flowers?" she demanded. "When we conquer Earth, we'll have a whole planet full!" she declared. A few days ago, her words would have sounded passionate- now it sounded like she was reciting a speech she had memorized without fully comprehending its meaning.  
  
"Do you really believe that?" he asked softly.  
  
"I did- do! I do! If Demando-sama is our leader, then we can't fail…"  
  
"Do you really believe that?" Saffir asked.  
  
Her eyes narrowed. "You're doubting your precious oniisan?" she asked, disbelief coloring her words darkly with scorn.  
  
He clenched his hand. "If Demando was really in charge, we would have won by now. It's the Wiseman who is filling his head with insane notions of the Goddess-Queen Serenity becoming his consort. If he wasn't obsessed with her…" he trailed off leadingly.  
  
The mention of Serenity was guaranteed to send Esmeraude into a rage, and this time was no different. "He doesn't love her! The witch has cast a spell on him!" she declared fervently.  
  
"Really?"  
  
She glared at him, and their unofficial truce was off. "Of course, Sa-chan!" she said sharply. "For a genius, you're awfully stupid!" She rose somewhat shakily to her feet, taking her hands back and stomping off into her room, leaving Saffir behind.  
  
Saffir stared down at the remains of the vase, the scattered flowers, and the blood on his jeans, confused. "What's happening to her?" he wondered. His quick mind worked on the puzzle, and came to the conclusion to the changes in his cousin could either prove to be a very good thing or a very bad thing.  
  
He just wished he knew which.  
  
*  
  
Mamoru looked at Motoki, who still appeared to be slightly green around the gills. "Are you sure you should be going to classes?" he wanted to know.  
  
"It's probably a bad idea, but I can't afford to miss the beginning of the semester," Motoki said honestly enough. "If I get behind now, there's no way I'll be able to catch up."  
  
Mamoru nodded, and waved when he noticed Ezura enter the room. The shapely woman was wearing a black skirt that was almost obscenely short, a soft suede shirt that was a nice blue, and fashionably clunky heels that made her legs look like they would go on forever. She smiled at him, walking over to him and taking the empty seat. "Hello, Mamoru-san. How are you today?"  
  
"Well, thank you. Have you met my friend Furahata Motoki?" he asked politely.  
  
She smiled pleasantly. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure," she said, extending a hand.  
  
Motoki shook it, and then his eyes went cold. "It's nice to meet you," he said   
  
Ezura's smiled faded, a puzzled expression on her face. "Is something wrong?" she wanted to know.  
  
"Nothing, Chika-san," he said. "Mamoru, I want to go over your notes again," he said, grabbing the other man's arm and pulling him across the room. Ezura watched them go, still looking confused.  
  
"Why are you being so rude?" Mamoru demanded. "Didn't you want to be introduced to the 'hottest thing on campus?"  
  
Motoki looked grim, and his eyes were serious. "Mamoru, something is seriously off with that woman," he said.   
  
"What do you mean?' Mamoru asked, feeling his curiosity piqued.  
  
Motoki looked at him, his perceptive green eyes worried. Mamoru didn't have the best skills when it came to judging people, and something about Ezura's sly brown eyes had pretty much been... wrong. It could be that she was merely WAS plotting to make Mamoru her boyfriend (more subtly then most women, who just threw themselves at the handsome black-hair man) in spite of her claims, but Motoki's instincts said that it was much more sinister then that. "It's... a feeling. I keep getting the urge to grab you and keep you the hell away from her."  
  
Mamoru chuckled. "I didn't think you were the jealous sort!" He fluttered his lashes mockingly. "Unfortunately, you're not my type."  
  
"Huh-wha- MAMORU!" Motoki exclaimed as he hit his closest friend over the head with a notebook. "You're so DEAD!"  
  
Mamoru laughed as he led the way to their seats. Glancing down at where Ezura sat, he wondered if Motoki was right…. And why he hoped so fervently his friend was wrong.  
  
He glanced at her through class, noticing how she seemed distracted. She took quick notes, but she seemed to not really process the information the professor was trying to impart. Ezura seemed to be distracted by something… maybe after class he could ask.  
  
He was surprised at how quickly he had become interested in her- there was something about her, an odd form of charisma and spirit. She was most certainly unlike any of the women he had known before, and he wondered why he was feeling a pull to find out about her. Her eyes held secrets that most red-blooded males would have given their eyeteeth to solve… and Mamoru was surprised to find that he was one of them. His dream princess may be whom he loved, but sometimes flesh and blood was more attractive- you couldn't hold a dream, after all.  
  
He sighed and listened to the professor drone on. Sometimes he wondered if he was nuts to be chasing a figment of his imagination- especially after meeting a beautiful woman. Perhaps it was time to resign himself to putting away his dreams.  
  
The class dragged on until the clock finally struck the hour. He hurriedly gathered his bags and nodded to Motoki, going off to speak to Ezura in spite of his friend's warning. "Ezura-san?" he asked.  
  
She raised her eyes frown where she was writing an overall summary of the lesson. "Yes? Did you want to arrange another study session?"  
  
He nodded. "I was going to go to the library this evening, but would you like to maybe catch dinner before?"  
  
She blinked. "I don't want to discuss biology over food…" she murmured, but a smile started to pull at the corners of her lips.   
  
"We can talk about books. Or movies," he offered, surprised by himself. He hadn't been planning on asking her out.  
  
"This sounds suspiciously like a date."  
  
Mamoru shrugged casually. "I prefer to think of it as a getting-to-know-you dinner. I'd like to be friends- you're an interesting person."  
  
To his surprise, that caused a blush to stain her cheeks. "I think I'd like that. Pick me up at five, my place. I hope you know the city, because I have no idea where to eat. Sa-chan has been doing the cooking."  
  
"Sure," he agreed. "I'll look forward to seeing you." He nodded and headed back to Motoki.  
  
Motoki looked at him, his eyes narrowed. "What was that about?" he asked curiously.  
  
"Just arranging dinner with Ezura-san."  
  
"What?" Motoki asked, unable to believe it. "You asked her out? Mamoru Chiba asked a woman out after nearly a year without a date? And Chika Ezura, of all people?"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Motoki looked at where the black-haired woman was exiting the room. "I don't know…. Something about her…"  
  
Mamoru just laughed. "You're so paranoid."  
  
"You're usually the paranoid one."  
  
"Mamoru… please, be careful. I don't trust her."  
*  
  
The 27 annual Tokyo Chess Tournament was in full swing when a young junior high student entered, ready for her first match. Her smile was painfully shy, but she handily defeated her first opponent.  
  
Then the next.  
  
And the next.  
  
Within two hours, a small crowd had gathered around this unknown wonder, watching the young girl go through opponents like they were Kleenex. On the other side of the room, a college student was going through the same pattern, and the inevitable finally happened. They were the only two left.  
  
The crowd grew quiet as the board was set up for the final match. The two competitors bowed to each other before taking a seat. "I'm Mizuno Ami," the girl introduced herself.  
  
The man's eyes widened slightly, but no one noticed. "Kae Satoshi," he answered before signaling that she should take white.  
  
She made her opening move, and the game started to progress. It was a fast game, neither one pausing long. Watchers felt dizzy after seconds- this was high-class chess at its best. A few hours passed, and neither was able to gain the upper hand.  
  
A slight flush colored the girl's pale cheeks, and she stole glances at the intense young man who sat across from her. He foiled her best ploys, and launched amazingly complex gambits himself. He was just about to launch another attempt when the clock-chimed three- the tournament had been suppose to be finish by one, but this game had gone beyond the predicted time.   
  
The man's eyes widened when he realized how late it had grown. "I have class in fifteen minutes!" he exclaimed unhappily, gathering his bags. He pushed his King over to concede defeat. "It was a pleasure to play with you, Mizuno-san. Maybe we can have a rematch sometime in the future." For some reason, Satoshi burst out laughing as he left the room.  
  
Mizuno Ami watched him go, feeling somewhat frustrated. She'd finally found someone who could play on her level, and he had had to leave before they could finish a game. A part of her would spend time wondering, on and off for the next thousand years, what the outcome would have been.  
  
Saffir wove through the campus crowds uneasily, unused to the sheer amount of people that lived on the planet. He found the mass of humanity disconcerting, and his encounter with Mizuno Ami had thrown him off. It was almost a year before she was due to don the mantle of Sailor Mercury, but he wondered what Gods had been messing with fate to arrange the meeting. He'd never seen her, but the brains of the Senshi was just as formidable as he had feared.  
  
His psychology class wasn't one of his favorites, because he started to apply all the disorders to himself or people he knew. Personality disorders were a personal favorite of his.  
  
He entered the room, surprised to find a crowd already there. A bunch of young men were sitting around one of their discussion tables, pouring over a magazine and some printouts. Curious in spite of himself, Saffir dropped his bag in his usual seat in the corner and headed over.  
  
"I'm telling you, it's a publicity stunt!"  
  
"I heard she was an alien…"  
  
"I don't care what she is, she's a babe!"  
  
Three of the young men were arguing, and Saffir raised an eyebrow. "What's up?" he asked.  
  
The one who held the center seat in front of the magazine smiled at him, slightly startled that their usually quiet classmate was talking to them. "Hello, Kae-san! We're looking at this superhero that's just become active in England. She calls herself 'Sailor V.'" He pushed the magazine and one of the photos which had obviously been printed off the Internet to Saffir.  
  
The blue-haired young man picked them up, studying them carefully. In it was a picture of an attractive girl with long blonde hair wearing a modified Sailor uniform and a red facemask. It was Sailor Venus in her earliest incarnation. He felt himself pale- he had known that she would become active first, but he hadn't realized it would happen so soon after his arrival.   
  
"Bets on whether or not she's the real thing, or a publicity stunt? There's talk of making a movie, and video games are already in production."   
  
Saffir looked at the smiling girl, wondering what the guys would do if they knew she was only thirteen. "Venus is real enough," he said grimly.   
  
"Venus?" the one who had handed him the pictures asked curiously.  
  
"I mean she's a Venus, a real Goddess of Beauty," he said hastily to cover his slip, handing the pictures back. He gave a polite enough smile and returned to his seat.  
  
As he pulled out his text, he nibbled his lip nervously. Today he'd had two unexpected encounters with the Senshi. Fate and destiny was beginning to draw the future, and he wondered if Esmeraude realized how little time she had before they had to pull out and return home.  
  
END PART THREE  
Up Next: Part Four- Breaking Free 


End file.
